Elongated translating systems and selective switching thereby



Feb. 21, 1961 H. A. MlCHLlN 2,972,719

ELQNGATED TRANSLATING SYSTEMS AND SELECTIVE SWITCHING THEREBY Filed Dec.30, 1952 CROSSED-GRID FLAT PICTURE OR CAMERA SCREENS ,10 0 o ollo o o0H0 o o 0H0 o o 01.

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n L ELECTRON-EMITTING SOURCE F United States PatentO i .ELONGATEDTRANSLATING SYSTEMS AND SELECTIVE SWITCHING THEREBY HymanA. Michlin,1575 Odell St., New York, N.Y.

Filed Dec. 30, 1952, Ser. No. 328,724

9 Claims. (Cl. 328-219) This invention relates to longitudinallyarranged translating and selective switching system, the selection ofswitching effected by the translation of different combinations of asmall plurality of separate signal channels of a larger number ofseparate signal channels to selectively activate switching elements.

In the producing of images on portable flat luminescent screens whichcan be moved above, there is a need for an elongated switchingsystem ofsmall cross-sectional area for use as a border of such a screen. Whichscreen can be remotely controlled by a comparatively smaller number ofselective conductors or radio wave frequencies than the much greaternumber of switching elements required.

' One object of this invention is to provide such system. Another objectis to provide'a translating and switching control system in an elongatedelectronic tube capable of being formed as a border of a large loaddevice. Another object is the use of electron bombardment inducedconductance substances as switching elements in combination withtranslating system.

Other objects and advantages of my invention may be had by referring tothe following description and claims when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

- Figure 1 isa schematic illustration of an example of a method andmeans of the invention.

' Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of an example of a form. ofelongated tube.

Referring to Figure 1, for example, to schematically illustrate theinvention.

The electron'emitting source can be conventional, for example, a heatedcathode with electrons transmitted thereto by conductor 17. The heatingelement can be activated through conductors 18 for example.

Each of the conductive strips described below is a gating element.

The stage of gating elements 9 is composed of separated units ofconductive strips, each conductive strip functioning as an anode, andeach so constructed as to define eight separate apertures, each apertureexclusively in line with an aperture of the conductive strips of thestage of gating elements 1 and- 6 (described below) so as to defineseparate electron paths each of a same crosssectional area.

Each said conductive strip of the stage of gating elements 9 iselectrically connected to either conductor 10 or 11 so that, forexample, when a positive potential is transmitted through conductor 10,the 1st conductive strip of the stage of gating elements 9 has positivepotential impressed thereon so as to impart energy to electrons nearbyfrom the electron emitting source to efiect a transmission of eightelectron streams therethrough in the manner of an anode with apertures.

The stage of gating elements 6 is composed of separated units ofconductive strips, with each conductive strip functioning as an anodeand is so constructed as to have, four separate apertures therein, .eachaperture 2,972,719 Patented Feb. 21, 1961 exclusively in line with anaperture of a conductive strip of the stages of gating elements 1 and 9so as to define four separated electron paths of a same cross-sectionalarea.

Each successive conductive strip of the stage of gating elements 6 iselectrically connected to a conductor 7 or 8 in repeated sequence sothat, for example, when a positive potential is transmitted throughconductor 7, the 1st and 3rd conductive strips have positive potentialimpressed thereon thereby imparting energy to electrons nearby from theapertures of the conductive strips in line therewith of the stage ofgating elements 9 to etfect a transmission of four electron streamstherethrough in the manner of anodes with apertures therein.

The stage of gating elements 1 is composed of separated units ofconductive strips, each of said strips functioning as an anode and is soconstructed as to have one aperture therein to define one electron paththerethrough.

Each successive conductive strip of the stage of gating elements 1 iselectrically connected to a conductor 2, 3, 4 or 5 in repeated sequenceso that, for example, when a positive potential is transmitted throughconductor 2, the 1st, 5th, 9th and 13th conductive strips have positivepotential impressed thereon so as to impart energy to electrons nearbyfrom the apertures of the conductive strips in line therewith of thestage of gating elements 6 to effect a transmission of the electronsthrough the aperture of the first conductive strip in the manner of ananode with an aperture therein activated with positive potential.

Electron bombardment induced conductance substances are arranged tofunction as switching elements 12 on be ing activated by electronimpact. The areas between the conductors 13 and 14 connection to each ofthe switching elements 12 are aligned to be impacted by one exclusivestream of electrons transmitted through each exclusive separate electronpath with such energy as is known to the art so as to raise theconductance level of the electron bombardment induced conductancesubstances impacted so as to effect a transmission of electricitybetween the conductors 13 and 14. An example of one such switchingelement is described in Patent No. 2,543,039 using electron bombardmentinduced conductance substances. It can be seen from the abovedescription that a sequence of electron transmission through eachcontinuous separate electron path can be elfected to impact a switchingelement associated therewith by selectively changing the transmission ofpositive potential through each conductor 2, 3, 4 and 5 in one cycle ofsequence to their respective conductive strips in the stage of gatingelements 1 for each sequence change of transmission of the positivepotential through each conductor 7 and 8 to their respective conductivestrips in the stage of gating elements 6; and for each cycle of changesof transmission of the positive potential through each 'conductor 7 and8 to their respective conductive strips in the stage of gating elements6 for each sequent change of the positive potentialtransmitted througheach conductor 10 and 11 to their respective conductive strips in thestage of gating elements 9. The impacting of electrons on eachsuccessive switching element of the line of switching elements 12efiecting a switching of signal from common conductor 13 to eachseparate conductor 14 in succession as separate electric outputs. If avideo signal is used, then a different part of the video signal would beimpressed on each switching element for transmission to their respectiveelectric outputs in the line of separate electric outputs.

The stages of gating elements 1, 6 and 9 can be structurally separatedby insulation partitions 16 for firmness and the keeping of electron intheir respective paths in an elongated vacuum tube as is schematicallyillustrated in Fig. 2. Each of the stages of gating elements 1, 6 and 9can be of conductive strips one (1) mm. apart and one (1) mm. wide tomake for a long tube of small cross-sectional area. Fig. 1 schematicallyillustrates switching elements along the length of the border of acrossed-grid flat picture or camera screens and in close proximitythereto.

Although sixteen (16) switching elements are schematically illustratedand described, it is to be understood that it is only by way of exampleas a larger number of switching elements can be used.

Referring to Fig. 1 to illustrate a method of operation. The electronemitting source is caused to emit electrons. The conductors 2, 7 and 10are impressed with positive potential so as to cause the eight streamsof electrons to be transmitted through the eight apertures definingelectron paths of the 1st conductive strip of the stage of gatingelements 9 from the electron emitting source; the four aperturesdefining electron paths through the 1st conductive strip of the stage ofgating elements 6 continues the transmission of and imparts energy toonly the first four streams of the said eight electron streams; and theaperture of the lst conductive strip of the stage of gating elements 1continues and imparts energy to the first of the said four electronstreams. The effected streams of electrons through the first exclusivecontinuous electron path impacts the 1st switching element withsufficient energy as to cause a transmission of electric energytherethrough between the common conductor 13 to a separate conductor 14as an electric output.

A change in potential transmission is then effected by transmitting thepositive potential through conductor 3 instead,of through conductor 2thereby effecting a different exclusive continuous path of electrontransmission to impact the 2nd switching element to effect thetransmission of' current therethrough from the common conductor 13 to aseparate conductor 14 as an electric output.

A change in potential transmission is then effected by transmittingpositive potential through conductor 4 instead of through conductor 3thereby effecting a different exclusive continuous electron path toimpact the 3rd switching element to effect the transmission of currenttherethrough from the common conductor 13 to a separate conductor 14 asan electric output.

A change in potential transmission is then effected by transmittingpositive potential through conductor instead of through conductor 4thereby effecting a different exclusive continuous path of electrontransmission to impact the 4th switching element to effect thetransmission of current therethrough from the common conductor 13 to aseparateconductor 14 as an electric output.

The positive potential is then transmitted through conductor 8 insteadof through conductor 7. The changing of the potentials transmittedthrough the conductors 2, 3, 4 and 5 is repeated, as described above, toeffect electron impact of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th switching elementsin succession thereby effecting a transmission of electricity from thecommon conductor 13 through their respective switching elements insuccession to effect separate electric outputs through conductors 14.

The positive potential is then transmitted through conductor 11 insteadof through conductor and the changing of the potentials is transmittedthrough the conductors 2, 3, 4 and 5, and 7 and 8 is repeated, as isdescribed above, thereby selectively effecting electric outputs from theselective activation of the switching elements 9 through 16 insuccession.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made only by way of example and that numerous changes in thedetails of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. Means for translating changing pluralities of selected channels ofsignals to a succession of exclusive electron paths to selected finaloutlets in succession com prising a plurality of stages of gating means,said stages in a connected series of electron paths, a differentplurality of gating means in each stage; an electron source adapted toemit electrons to the first stage of the stages of gating elements; aplurality of signal channels in each stage, each signal channel arrangedto activate at least one gating means in their respective stage, saidgating means in each stage being a multiple number of the signalchannels to each stage; each gating means of each stage of each nextlesser plurality of gating means exclusively controlling electron pathsto selected final outlets from a plurality of gating means of a stage ofthe next plurality of gating means, each said plurality of gating meanshaving not more than the number of signal channels to each stage therebyon one of said gating means of each said plurality of gating means ineach stage in series being activated by a signal through a selectedsignal channel of said signal channels in each stage there is effectedan electron flow through an exclusive electron path to a selected finaloutlet, and on systematically and synchronously changing the combinationof the signal channel transmitting the signal in each stage there iseffected a translation of each such change of combination to asuccession of changes of exclusive electron paths to a succession ofselected final outlets.

2. The means of claim 1 in which the means is arranged longitudinallyand in small cross-sectional area, the succession of final outletsarranged along the length thereof and, in addition, comprising aplurality of switching elements capable of being activated by electronimpact, each of said switching elements arranged to be impacted byelectrons flowing through one exclusive path of electrons, a commonelectric energy source to said switching elements for switchingtherethrough thereby on each switching element being activated byelectron impact from the electron flow through each final outlet thereis effected a sequence of switching of electric energy through eachswitching element.

3. The means of claim 2 in combination with a load device having a longborder with conductors in spaced apart relation as the said switchingelements, said con.- ductors in line with and in close proximity to thesaid switching elements, and with the output of each of said switchingelements electrically connected to said conductors.

4. The means of claim 1 in which the means is longitudinally arranged inan elongated vacuum tube, in which the electron paths are through space,in which each gating means have a separate electron transparentenergizing opening for each electron final outlet it exclusivelycontrols, said openings arranged to form exclusive separate continuouselectron paths thereby each stage having the same number of exclusiveseparate continuous electron paths.

5. The means of claim 4 and switching elements capable of beingenergized by electron impact, each switching element suitably adapted tobe energized by electron impact from a different exclusive separatecontinuous electron path.

6. The means of claim 5 in which the switching elements are suitablyarranged units of electron bombardment induced element, each with aplurality of conductors suitably connected thereto and spaced from eachother, each said unit arranged to be impacted by electrons transmittedthrough a different exclusive separate continuous electron path.

7. The means of claim 4 and insulation partitions suitably arranged toimpart firmness to the elements thereof.

8. The means of claim 7 and switching elements capable of beingenergized by electron impact, each switch? ing element suitably adaptedto be energized by electron bombardment from a different exclusiveseparate con? tinuous electron path.

9. The means of claim 8 in which the switching elm ments are suitablyarranged units of electron bombardment induced element, each with aplurality of conductors suitably connected thereto and spaced from eachother, each said unit arranged to be impacted by electrons transmittedthrough a different exclusive separate continuous electron path.

1,779,748 Nicolson Oct. 28, 1930 6 Morrison Oct. 16, 1934 Davis Sept. 8,1936 Seeley Aug. 6, 1946 Rajchman Jan. 17, 1950 McKay Feb. 27, 1951MacWilliams Jan. 27, 1953 Kalfaian July 13, 1954 Zaphropoulos July 13,1954 Allwine Oct. 5, 1954 Lawrence Nov. 23, 1954 Law Nov. 1, 1955

